Any Residential Home A/C Guys

[PearlWhiteGT]

My air handler seems to sweat on the bottom and sometimes water will drip from the edge of it. The piece of plywood under it is wet only along this edge. Wondering what I’d need to do to keep it from dripping water onto the floor. This is in a small 1 bedroom townhome. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[PoorUB]

My air handler seems to sweat on the bottom and sometimes water will drip from the edge of it. The piece of plywood under it is wet only along this edge. Wondering what I’d need to do to keep it from dripping water onto the floor. This is in a small 1 bedroom townhome. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The inside of the cabinet should be insulated. If it is and it still drips, then perhaps wrap the outside with insulation.

Are you certain it isn't condensation dripping from the AC coil? Perhaps missing the condensate pan, or the pan is cracked?

 

[PearlWhiteGT]

The inside is insulated. The condensate pan is there. There is water running through the condensate line. Could be possible the pan is cracked. I didn’t look that too far into it.

 

[Davefr]

I'd make sure the condensate drain line and trap is not clogged. If it is then the pan will overflow. You're supposed to add a few dops of bleach into the trap every so often so that mold/mildew doesn't clog it up. Get a long tie wrap and see if you can insert it to clear any obstruction. It could also be the outlet of the condensate drain line that's plugged.

 

[rayra]

likely clogged and overflowing the catch pan. And where are those external PVC lines draining too, it at all? I don't see any line below them in your pictures. I'm also very curious what sins are hidden by that black trash bag wrapped on the piping. That shouldn't be there.
The condensate drain line ought to be running to daylight somewhere along the path that pressure relief CPVC line on the water heater is running to. Do NOT connect the HVAC drain plumbing to that relief plumbing.

 

[Balvar24]

Looks like there may have been an overflow detection switch that is now no longer wired. Chances are this is due to nuisance trips due to some other underlying issue. Condensate drain plugged, etc.

Plastic pans (the old ones) were bad about cracking over time.

I've also seen units freezing up and leading to water getting to where it shouldn't when dripping off the ice.

Sometimes, air leaks in the cabinet lead to condensation on the outside of the unit.

You problem is going to be that there is a large portion of your unit that looks to be difficult to reach.

 

[PearlWhiteGT]

I used a shop vac to suction out the drain line and it’s flowing normal. This property is located on the 2nd floor and the drain line run down and outside. There isn’t a thrash bag on the line, it’s duct tape wrapped around the insulation on the pipe. Looks shiny due to the flash on the camera. I’m going to take my air compressor and blow the line and see if that makes any difference.

 

[Balvar24]

I used a shop vac to suction out the drain line and it’s flowing normal. This property is located on the 2nd floor and the drain line run down and outside. There isn’t a thrash bag on the line, it’s duct tape wrapped around the insulation on the pipe. Looks shiny due to the flash on the camera. I’m going to take my air compressor and blow the line and see if that makes any difference.

Don't blow it apart.

 

[BillK]

Mine was the plastic drain pan that was cracked

 

[PearlWhiteGT]

Mine was the plastic drain pan that was cracked

Located inside the air handler?

 

[BillK]

Located inside the air handler?

Yes, it was actually all formed as part of the evaporator coil. Had to get a complete new coil to take care of it. I imagine I might have been able to patch it somehow but mine is in such a tight spot that if I was going to go that far it was easier to just replace it

 

[PearlWhiteGT]

I ended up having the home warranty send out a HVAC company to check it out. They seem to think the evaporator coil is dirty causing the issue. Said it will need to be removed and cleaned. I asked them if the home warranty usual covers the cleaning and he said no because they consider that routine maintenance but will submit it and see what they say. I called my warranty and asked them if coil cleanings are included and they said yes. So have no idea if it will or will not be covered. Time will tell.

 

[ordpete944]

I have a 4 ton unit located on my unconditioned garage. It would leak and sweat. I discovered that the original installer pitched the drain the wrong way, causing the pan to fill to the brim before draining. I repitched it correctly and it fixed 95% of the sweating. The internal insulation In the air handler needs to be replaced due to breaking down from moisture. My coils were clean as a whistle. However all the extra standing moisture is causing the ends of the coil to rust. The unit is a 13 year old carrier heat pump. I am going to keep running it until it needs a coil or complete air handler.

 

[75gmck25]

I'm not sure it's required by code, but every condensate pan I've seen (in both Texas and Virginia) has had two condensate pan drains. The primary has a linear trap and it drains into a soil stack or the rain gutter, and the secondary is a straight pipe that drains out onto the sidewalk or driveway where it's visible.

If the primary drain is working and open it just drains and you never see the water. If the primary plugs up, the secondary will start to drain and it runs out onto the driveway or sidewalk where it's visible. That is your clue to know the primary is plugged.

My current A/C unit also has a water sensor alarm inside the pan and its just above the level of the hole for condensate drain. If the drain pan begins to fill too much it will cut off the power to the A/C unit (IIIRC it connects into the thermostat wiring), and also sound an alarm. The alarm is pretty wimpy, so I doubt I would hear it buzzing in the attic, but it might be effective if it was inside the house.

 

[tinmanwpk]

Instead of blowing your drain line out maybe try sucking it out with your shop vac at the termination point outside.

 

[bonneyman]

Condensate/leaking issues are among the most common A/C problems. Having the coil enclosures thoroughly insulated, making sure the condensate lines are properly plumbed and piped, keep them clean, and having an overflow cut-off switch are all necessary steps to keeping leaks to a minimum. Most are installation issues, and a few are maintenance related. Having a top notch A/C guy who takes special care of condensate drain concerns is paramount.

Obviously you're passed that with your situation - I just mention it as a plan for others to prevent such issues. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure was never more applicable than with condensate problems.

 

[fitter30]

Coil should be looked at thru the filter rack with a flash lite and inspection mirror. Air handler is in the second worst room in your house a bathroom would only be worse because of the dew point when drying clothes. Dryer vented to the outside? Filter get wet? Being a draw through a coil if filter is wet a dirty coil will make condensate drip off the fins and not run down into the pan. Look at the blower wheel if its dirty the coil is dirty both will need to be pulled and cleaned.

 

[N2BUICK]

Location near washer/dryer, as fitter 30 said. Condensation on cold surfaces is most likely. If your pan was cracked or drain blocked you would be mopping water, not just seeing moisture on the wood and surrounding material.